Printed circuit boards frequently have low-standoff components (i.e., components with low clearance from the board or other components) that are difficult to clean. This difficulty of cleaning low-standoff components arises because cleaning solutions, whether water or chemical based, cannot easily be provided to underneath the components. Although difficult, effective cleaning of circuit boards entails cleaning underneath any low-standoff components. Given the difficulty of cleaning low-standoff components a tradeoff exists between quick and effective cleaning of circuit boards. This tradeoff can be illustrated with a comparison of two common cleaning methodologies, namely, spray and bath cleaning.
Spray cleaning involves passing circuit boards on a conveyor belt underneath spray nozzles of cleaning and rinsing solutions. Spray cleaning results in quick cleansing of circuit boards because many boards can be conveyed under the cleaner and rinse spray nozzles. However, at the same time, the sprayed cleaning solution usually does not provide enough force to overcome the surface tension under the low-standoff components to remove flux or other contaminants whereby spray cleaning is not effective.
Bath cleaning involves submerging a batch of circuit boards in a pool of cleaning solution, batch-by-batch. Bath cleaning, in contrast with spray cleaning, is effective because, over time, the cleaning solution is allowed to soak underneath the low-standoff components of the circuit board. Nonetheless, bath cleaning is not satisfactorily quick because soaking the circuit boards until underneath the low-standoff components is saturated with cleaning solution or rinse is a long process and, batch-by-batch circuit board cleaning is tedious.
In view of the foregoing, spray and bath cleaning methodologies and related apparatus are not entirely suited to cleaning circuit boards. In other words, a need exists for circuit board cleaning apparatus and related methods of use that are quick yet effective. Specifically, a need exists for apparatus and related methods of quickly cleaning circuit boards so that the entirety of any low-standoff components is cleaned.